The present application relates to the field of physiological monitoring devices. Specifically, the present application relates to the field of glucometers.
Health care providers have long recognized the need to monitor patients' analyte levels, including for example, oxygen saturation, carboxy hemoglobin, methemoglobin, total hemoglobin and glucose levels, as well as other physiological parameters, including for example, pulse rate, perfusion, hydration, overall wellness, pH, bilirubin, sepsis and others. Specifically, low blood glucose may lead to anxiety, weakness, and in extreme cases coma and death. Likewise, high blood glucose is associated with acidosis, diabetes, glucose spilling into the urine, polyurea, hemoconcentration and related stresses on organ systems, including the renal and cardiovascular systems. Glycemic control may be particularly important in the critical care setting, where high or low blood glucose has been related to increased morbidity and mortality, although many other uses are advantageous, including self blood sugar monitoring, fitness applications, and the like.
The standard of care in caregiver environments also includes patient monitoring through spectroscopic analysis using, for example, a pulse oximeter. Medical device manufacturers are continually increasing the processing capabilities of patient monitors, such as pulse oximeters, which process signals based on attenuation of light by patient tissue. In general, such patient monitoring systems include one or more optical sensors that irradiate tissue of a patient and one or more photodetectors that detect the radiation after attenuation thereof by the tissue. The sensor communicates the detected signal to a patient monitor, where the monitor often removes noise and preprocesses the signal. Advanced signal processors then perform time domain and/or frequency domain processing to determine measurements of blood constituents and other physiological parameters of the patient.
Manufacturers have advanced basic pulse oximeters that determine measurements for blood oxygen saturation (“SpO2”), pulse rate (“PR”) and pethysmographic information, to read-through-motion oximeters, to co-oximeters that determine measurements of many constituents of circulating blood. For example, Masimo Corporation of Irvine Calif. (“Masimo”) manufactures pulse oximetry systems including Masimo SET® low noise optical sensors and read through motion pulse oximetry monitors for measuring Sp02, PR, perfusion index (“PI”) and others. Masimo sensors include any of LNOP®, LNCS®, SofTouch™ and Blue™ adhesive or reusable sensors. Masimo oximetry monitors include any of Rad-8®, Rad-5®, Rad®-5v or SatShare® monitors.
Many innovations improving the measurement of blood constituents are described in at least U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,770,028; 6,658,276; 6,157,850; 6,002,952; 5,769,785 and 5,758,644, which are each incorporated by reference in their entirety herein for all purposes. Corresponding low noise optical sensors are disclosed in at least U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,985,764; 6,088,607; 5,782,757 and 5,638,818, which are each incorporated by reference in their entirety herein for all purposes.
Masimo also manufactures advanced co-oximeters including Masimo Rainbow® SET, which provides measurements in addition to Sp02, such as total hemoglobin (SpHb™), oxygen content (SpCO™), methemoglobin (SpMet®), carboxyhemoglobin (SpCO®) and PVI®. Advanced blood parameter sensors include Masimo Rainbow® adhesive, ReSposable™ and reusable sensors. Masimo's advanced blood parameter monitors include Masimo Radical-7™, Rad-87™, and Rad-57™ monitors as well as Pronto and Pronto-7 spot check monitors.
Many innovations relating to the foregoing technologies are described in at least U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,647,083; 7,729,733; U.S. Pat. Pub. Nos. 2006/0211925; and 2006/0238358, which are each incorporated by reference in their entirety herein for all purposes.
These and other instruments have gained rapid acceptance in a wide variety of medical applications, including surgical wards, intensive care and neonatal units, general wards, home care, physical training, and virtually all types of monitoring scenarios.